Snoring treatment

The text is presented for informational purposes only. We urge you not to self-medicate. When the first symptoms appear, consult a doctor. Recommended reading: “Why not self-medicate?”. Everyone knows what snoring is. Most often, those who snore hardly notice it in their sleep. Therefore, these unpleasant sounds for the ear have to be listened to by people who are nearby. Few people know that at the same time, not only the person who hears these sounds cannot fall asleep, but also the person who snores does not have a full sleep. During snoring, a person does not go through the appropriate phases of sleep, which leads to sleep disturbance and significantly affects health in the future.

Snoring occurs during sleep when a person’s soft palate relaxes and air passes through the narrowed airways. In this case, the parts of the pharynx may touch, causing trembling and vibration. The condition worsens the curvature of the nasal septum, polyps in the nose, the presence of excess weight, enlarged tonsils, malocclusion, and the like.

Anyone can snore. Studies show that 45% of men and 30% of women snore on a regular basis, regardless of their body type. Both a full man and a fragile woman can suffer from this ailment. Snoring can also occur after a viral illness, after drinking alcohol, or when taking certain medications.

It is important to understand that snoring is a good reason to visit a specialist to examine your body and get treatment. Only at first glance, this innocent manifestation of our body brings nothing but discomfort to others.

However, in reality, this is the first step towards such a phenomenon as sleep apnea, better known as stopping breathing during sleep.

In turn, sleep apnea, which was not detected and treated in time, can cause a stroke or heart attack. That is why it is very important to determine the true causes of snoring and take appropriate actions to eliminate it. Medicines and special anti-snoring products will only be effective when the source of the disease is known.

Snoring diagnostics

Before choosing methods for treating snoring, it is necessary to undergo a diagnosis from a specialist in order to establish the exact origin of such an unpleasant feature of the body. To begin with, the specialist examines the anatomical features of the structure of the respiratory tract. Based on the results of the initial examination, you can choose other diagnostic methods and build an algorithm for further treatment.

In order to identify snoring complicated by cessation of breathing during sleep (the so-called sleep apnea), one should undergo a modern screening examination using special equipment.

Diagnosis can be done at the patient’s home, but it is better to do an examination in a medical center so that specialists can take all the necessary measurements and conduct video surveillance (in order to obtain more information and enable the patient to assess his condition during sleep). Video surveillance is carried out by two video cameras with the ability to record in the dark. The data obtained after the examination become the basis for the selection of the necessary treatment:

• surgical;
• medicinal

A special device – SOMNOcheck micro CARDIO – will help to identify and determine the degree of danger. During the sleep of the subject, the equipment during the night captures cases of snoring and apnea (dangerous respiratory arrest), as well as pulse rate, arrhythmia and blood oxygen saturation. Depending on the results, the method of treatment and the necessary drugs will be selected. If serious and prolonged cases of apnea are detected, the patient will be referred for additional examinations to other specialists.

How to recognize sleep apnea

Apnea is the term for stopping breathing. There are central and obstructive sleep apnea, although mixed types are also found in medical practice. During obstructive sleep apnea, there is an overlap (obstruction) of the upper airways (when the muscles of the pharynx and tongue relax, the root of the tongue sinks and blocks the airways).

Brain impulses responsible for breathing and the work of the diaphragm continue to flow, negative pressure is created, which leads to even more blockage of the upper airways. In this case, the person stops breathing for a while and after a sharp snoring, breathing resumes again.

This state can continue throughout the night. However, if the duration of apnea is more than 10 seconds and this happens 5 to 10 times during the night, this leads to serious disorders, because the body suffers from constant hypoxia (lack of oxygen).

Consequences of snoring and sleep apnea

A person suffering from this disease with a complication of sleep apnea will experience the following symptoms in the morning: fatigue, drowsiness, headache and pain in the occipital region. This happens because during snoring and sleep apnea, a person involuntarily wakes himself up and does not allow the body to fully rest. Of course, this affects labor activity, emotionality and quality of life. A person becomes irritable, inattentive, it is difficult for him to cope with everyday duties. The worst consequence of sleep apnea is the constant hypoxia of such vital organs as the heart and brain. In addition, there is an increased risk of developing hypertension, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

These are far from the only problems that can arise from seemingly ordinary snoring. Drowsiness during the day (especially dangerous for drivers), memory loss and mental activity, the development of phobias, impotence, depression, low self-esteem, loss of interest in life are the reasons for which a person who underestimates the danger of snoring and sleep apnea should be prepared for.

Snoring treatment

There are special medical centers for the treatment of snoring, and somnologists are engaged in the study of this disease in collaboration with ENT doctors. Depending on the diagnostic results obtained, the appropriate treatment for snoring will be selected. Anti-snoring drugs in modern medicine have improved significantly compared to the experience of past years. Therefore, you should not try to overcome this ailment, which is typical among the majority of the population, on your own, but go to a specialized medical center, where you can achieve the fastest result with the help of modern means. After all, as you know, time is a weighty argument in favor of modern medicine and the latest tools.

In addition to individual products and therapeutic devices, specialists will help to adjust the position of the body during sleep in order to get rid of snoring, determine the most effective measures in a particular case (such as weight loss, adjust nutrition) and control the process of getting rid of snoring.

Sources of